Park board agrees to study disc golf options after Milestone Park debate

The Keller Park and Recreation Board opened a public discussion on a petition to add a disc golf course to Milestone Park and agreed to form a small subcommittee to study feasibility, siting and community impacts.

Jay (Park Board member and petitioner) told the board the request and community feedback were the first steps in the board’s process. "There currently is no budget allocated for this project, nor is disc golf specifically identified in the master plan as an amenity at Milestone Park," he said, and urged a feasibility study and additional community outreach before any council action. Chair Bailey said the board would not decide tonight but would commission work to gather information and return with recommendations.

Why it matters: supporters described disc golf as a low-cost, family-friendly amenity with growing popularity; nearby residents and homeowners stressed safety, parking and traffic concerns and said they value Milestone Park’s current character. Multiple speakers noted Milestone sits in a floodplain and that the park was developed with constraints that limited heavier uses. The board responded by framing the next steps as fact-finding rather than a final decision.

Discussion and concerns

Board members, residents and disc golf players described different priorities. Several park board members said they were open to the idea of disc golf somewhere in Keller but not necessarily at Milestone. Jackie (Park Board member) and Judy (Park Board member) suggested the sport can work in many park settings but urged locating a course away from active picnic, playground and high-traffic areas. Linda Lisonbee (resident and representative of the cottages community) said Milestone is a 16-acre park used for walking, dog-walking, birthday gatherings and other passive uses; she said traffic at the main entrance is already heavy and called safety the community’s primary concern.

Phil (resident/developer) said the land transfer to the city was made with an understanding the park would remain passive and that attendees regularly use the park for walking and informal gatherings. Residents asked how disc golfers would be steered away from areas used by walkers and children; a disc golf player who spoke said most courses post maps and a "courtesy" code of conduct and that play usually proceeds only after surveying a lane or fairway.

Board direction and next steps

Board members agreed not to advance any design or budget request to council immediately. Instead the board voted informally to form a small subcommittee to gather data on site options across Keller, minimum acreage and safety precedents, signage and typical course footprints, likely costs and potential funding sources, and public engagement approaches. Jay agreed to lead the subcommittee and asked Caitlin and other board volunteers to participate. The group said it will report back at a future board meeting and that any formal proposal would go to the city council for additional vetting.

What the board recorded: the board emphasized the difference between discussion, staff-level follow up and formal action. There is currently no budget, no formal plan amendment and no council authorization related to disc golf at Milestone Park. Any change to Milestone’s use would require more study, a formal request to council and additional public engagement.

Ending

Board members said they would keep the public informed as the subcommittee does its work and flagged future subcommittee reports as standing items on park board agendas. No final siting or budget decision was made at the meeting.